Riseley CofE Primary School

Riseley CofE Primary School is performing well overall, rated as good in all areas apart from early years provision, which is outstanding. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to providing a broad and ambitious curriculum that enables pupils to engage actively with their learning. With high expectations of behaviour, most pupils demonstrate respect and well-managed behaviour, enhancing the positive learning environment. Although the school has improved many aspects since its last inspection, it faces challenges in ensuring that parents are fully aware of the recent changes in curriculum and behaviour strategies.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy their learning and are keen to attend school.
• Curriculum improvements are helping pupils to learn effectively.
• The early years curriculum is particularly strong and well-implemented.
• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and generally teach the curriculum effectively.
• Strong support is provided for pupils with SEND, enabling them to make good progress.
• The school promotes physical activity and healthy living among pupils.
• There is a positive culture around safeguarding within the school.

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, teachers do not follow the curriculum plans precisely, impacting students' learning progress.
• Communication with parents regarding curriculum and behaviour improvements needs enhancement.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Riseley CofE Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.1% of pupils at Riseley CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Riseley CofE Primary School had 16.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 26.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 7.4% of pupils at Riseley CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Riseley CofE Primary School received £9,109 and spent £9,382 for each of its 121 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £138,000 (-£1,145 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Riseley CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Riseley CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Riseley CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Riseley CofE Primary School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Riseley CofE Primary School have?

Riseley CofE Primary School has 121 pupils on roll.

What age range does Riseley CofE Primary School cover?

Riseley CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Riseley CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Riseley CofE Primary School?

Riseley CofE Primary School is at High Street, Riseley, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK44 1DR.